Tuba with William N.

William Nakamura is a freelance tubist, who has been living and working in the Los Angeles area since 2017. In that time, he has established himself as a versatile and virtuosic musician, playing in orchestras (including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra), musicals, contemporary music ensembles, video game soundtracks, his two brass quintets, and much more. Called ‘one of the most memorable tubists to ever pass through UCLA’ by renowned trumpet soloist Jens Lindemann, William has consistently worked to raise awareness of the diverse capabilities of the tuba as both a solo and ensemble instrument. He has been the recipient of the Gluck Fellowship Award and Jim Self Tuba Scholarship. As a member of the larger community, William is committed to accessibility and diversity in the field of classical music. His chamber groups have performed multiple free or suggested donation concerts for a wide range of communities, and he has volunteered his time and skills as a brass instructor for the Sistema-inspired YOLA program. William is currently a Doctoral student at the Thornton School of Music at USC, where he has studied with Norm Pearson, Jim Self, and Doug Tornquist. He earned his Masters at the University of California, Los Angeles, studying under Aubrey Foard, and his Bachelors at Oberlin Conservatory, studying with Ron Bishop and Dennis Nulty.